CHRISTIANS: GIVERS OF GOD'S LOVE (HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTER 20TH MAY 2022
Theologians believe that the promulgation seen in the letter sent to the Gentile-Christian community as contained in the first reading of today stands out as one of the very first cannons of the church in the first century. It reads “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well” (Acts 15:28-29). The Church henceforth, over time kept on formulating laws that will continually guide the pastoral ministry of the church and not leave them at the whims and caprices of anyone. We can also observe that the church in concluding this controversy did so not without the guidance and consensus of the Holy Spirit as seen in the experience of Peter in the household of Cornelius. Even while sending the letter to Christ's faithful in the Gentile region, some leading men among the brethren such as Judas called Barsabbas and Silas were chosen to go alongside Paul and Barnabas to deliver, confirm and explain the letter to the people of God.
Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, at moments of controversy in the Church, let us learn to submit our litigation and disagreements to the proper legitimate authorities of the church for authentic explanations, guidance and directions. In our little corridors of adjudication e.g families, schools, playgrounds, offices etc let us always remain disposed to the promptings of the Holy Spirit for guidance; that our faculty of reasoning may be illuminated by the Holy Spirit to pass judgments that conform to the dictates of God. Let us also be obedient and submissive to the canonical laws of the Church; they aren't meant to burden us but to help us in an organized manner live out our. Christian life faithfully.
In the gospel reading, Jesus tells us “ this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” ( Jn 15:12). The question is how has Jesus loved us. In John 15:13 he says “no greater love has a man than to lay down his life for his friends”. The passion and death of Jesus on the cross affirm verily that the love of Jesus is sacrificial. The love that seeks the well-being of humanity at the expense of the self, an unconditional love, a love that destroys the class distinctions, racism, ethnocentric etc. This is the love that Jesus gave to us as a new commandment to abide. Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, are we channels of love? The love that we exert on others, is it modelled after the love of Jesus? How sacrificial is our love for others? Do we love only out of our abundance and not love at times of scarcity? Beloved in Christ, Jesus says “ you are my friends if you do what I command you”. A life of love is the only sure expression of one's friendship with God. God perceives us through his love as friends and not servants because the mysteries of the kingdom of God had been unravelled to us (Jn 15:15). Christians by identity are friends of God that breed love in the world.
We pray this morning that the Love of God will continue to abide in the Church and our homes; may the precious gift of love of God eradicate hatred, malice, envy, jealousy, class distinctions, enmity and all vices from our family, friendships and relations today; may the love of God continue to be the sure mark that distinguishes the children of God and guarantees the presence of God upon us. Amen
May you experience the love of God this day!
Fr Remi osj
Proud to be a catholic
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